Asked September 12, 2022, 1:59 PM EDT
Hi. I live in Durango CO. I have canned for many years and this year, after canning Salsa I feel that my garage might still be to warm for my jars of salsa. Is it ok to put the jars in the refrigerator untilthe garage cools off and then place them on a shelf in the garage as I usuually do? Thank you. Paula
La Plata County Colorado
Expert Response
Hello Paula,
Yes, you can certainly keep your correctly processed jars of salsa in the refrigerator until other storage areas cool down.
A few reminders about storing home canned food - keep the band off the jar until you break the seal and store in the refrigerator;store in a cool, dry, dark location; do not stack more than two jars on top of one another; label and date every jar; and use within one year.
It is also recommended that you store home canned food away from hot pipes, furnaces, uninsulated attics, or other heat sources. Doing so can reduce the quality of the food quickly, or damage the seal.
Hopefully, the changing weather will allow you to soon move your home canned salsa onto a shelf, thus freeing up space in the refrigerator.
Nicole Clark, M.Ed. RDN Replied September 14, 2022, 11:23 AM EDT
